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Steve Jobs

by Erica from Roseville

"Creativity is just connecting things," a brilliant man once mused. His name was Steven Paul Jobs and he contributed to the world in ways most could not. Born on February 24, 1955, he was adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs. Perhaps their love and care for him was the source of his one-of-a-kind mind. Or, his abilities may have been inherited from his birth father, a Syrian professor of political science, and mother, a speech therapist. Wherever his talents originated, we can be grateful that he used them for the good of the world, reinventing the way we manage and process everything.

A young Steve Jobs holding an apple (http://4.mshcdn.com/wp-content/gallery/steve-jobs-life-amp-times/jobs_1980s.jpg ())
A young Steve Jobs holding an apple (http://4.mshcdn.com/wp-content/gallery/steve-jobs-life-amp-times/jobs_1980s.jpg ())

Steve Jobs' place of birth was San Francisco, California. He received schooling in Cupertino, California, and frequently made trips to Palo Alto to visit Hewlett Packard Company. It was during his summer job there where Jobs met Steve Wozniak, and the two attended the Homebrew Computer Club. This was two years after Mr. Jobs dropped out of Reed College. At the time, Steve Jobs was employed by Atari, and both men began creating "Blue Boxes" together, a fine business at the time. The unstoppable ensemble teamed up again two years later, after Jobs had made a venture to India. It was the year 1976, and Apple Computers was born in his garage.  This was the start of a technological revolution; the computer was transformed into an easier, more-affordable machine than ever before.

Although Apple Computers reached new heights in 1980, the company struggled during the following years. In addition, even considering his departure soon after, Jobs devoted himself to two other promising companies: an animation studio now known as Pixar and NeXT, Inc., which manufactured hardware, etc. Believing in Pixar's full potential, Jobs elected to invest 50 million dollars, which provided him with the title of the largest shareholder of Disney (both companies combined in the year 2006.) Then, Jobs returned to the Apple spotlight, becoming the CEO again in 1997. He began to thrive once more, proving the genius he always possessed. Introducing never-before-seen products to the world, he truly did "put the internet in our pocket." Tragically, Mr. Jobs received news in 2003 that he held awful, but treatable pancreatic cancer. He elected to not proceed with an operation immediately, and instead experiment with natural remedies first. However, both forms of medicine could not prevent his imminent demise on October 5th, 2011.

Steve Jobs: Stanford commencement speech 2005 (http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/2b7a6c79df37424ae20f8600/steve-jobs-stanford.jpg ())
Steve Jobs: Stanford commencement speech 2005 (http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/2b7a6c79df37424ae20f8600/steve-jobs-stanford.jpg ())

Heroism, sometimes, is not defined by actions, but by words.  Words have the power to travel great distances, affecting each of us in many different ways. "Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition." Jobs preached at the University of Stanford in 2005. This speech moved people, teaching them that no one else but themselves should stand in the way of their dreams becoming realities. He even touched upon the topic of death, commenting, "No one wants to die... And yet death is the destination we all share." Steve Jobs admitted to doing something we all should practice: each morning, he asked himself, "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" This one act has the potential to change all of our lives forever. Perhaps we would appreciate the little things even more, and focus on the big things even less. "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life," is the most powerful statement this great American thinker has taught me.

Steve Jobs (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/2011/12/cvr9781451648539_978145164_copy.jpg ())
Steve Jobs (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/2011/12/cvr9781451648539_978145164_copy.jpg ())

 In conclusion, Mr. Steven Jobs not only reinvented the standard for technology and innovation, but he brought an admirable philosophy on living life. His devastating passing proved the love that devoted Apple fans possessed, and introduced others to the remarkable man Jobs lived to be. He will be forever missed.

 

 

Page created on 5/25/2012 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 5/25/2012 12:00:00 AM

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